McQuaid hints at WorldTour-licence

According to UCI president Pat McQuaid, Euskaltel will get a WorldTour-licence for 2012. So says Miguel Madariaga. Talking to Bilbao-based newspaper El Correo, the Fundación Euskadi supremo revealed he's confident his team will get one of the three available licences.

"I talked with McQuaid during the recent Tour of Beijing", Madariaga said. "He told me our WorldTour-licence is secure. I'm very optimistic".

The decision will be taken by the UCI's licence commission in a couple of weeks. But even if Euskaltel manage to stay in the 'Champions League' of cycling, he's worried about the future.

"I can't say the future is looking very bright for us", he admitted. "It's not very likely we'll be in the WorldTour in 2013. We're looking for sponsors pretty much everywhere, but so far we haven't been successful. We would be open to foreign sponsors. In America for example, we have contacts through Orbea. But we'll see what happens".

Madariaga, who's been working tirelessly to find sponsors for the better part of two decades now, went on to say that the public funding will reduced by 20 percent next year, in effect reducing the team's budget from seven to six million euro. For once though, the prospect of a substantially smaller budget didn't dent his mood.

"I'm sure we'll find the money needed to balance the books", he concluded.

Briefs: Euskaltel/Isasi/ONCE

• Euskaltel stood atop the podium ten times this season, considerably less than the 17 times they amassed in 2010. Still though, it's better than most other campaigns in the team's long history: since the team's creation in 1994, only seven times (including this year) has the team chalked up ten wins or more in one calendar year. The win tally is also slightly higher than the average per year: over 18 seasons, Euskaltel have won 159 races. That's 8,8 a year. These numbers seem to indicate it's been a good year - especially considering four of the ten have been in Grand Tours and two in WorldTour-races.
• The newly-retired Iñaki Isasi will, as you all know by now, step into the role of directeur sportif next year. He's most likely to lead the team in domestic races though: Noticias de Gipuzkoa reports he hasn't yet acquired the needed licence to direct a WorldTour team outside of Spain. Which in turn means Gorka Gerrikagoitia and Álvaro González de Galdeano are likely to call the shots from the team car in most races overseas.
• ONCE, one of the great teams of the nineties and the early years of the new millennium, will have a reunion of sorts on the most fitting of dates: on the 11th day in the 11th month in 2011. Several Basque greats of yesteryear used to call the team directed by Manolo Saiz home: Abraham Olano, Pello Ruíz Cabestany, Mikel Zarrabeitia, Isidro Nozal, Marino Lejarreta, Joseba Beloki, David Etxebarria and Igor González de Galdeano to name but a few. Together with approximately 80 other riders and staff from the team that eventually turned into the now-disgraced Liberty Serguros-outfit, they'll get together in Madrid in a week's time to catch up and reminisce about those all-conquering seasons which totalled 437 victories.

Looking for a million

If Euskaltel are to continue beyond 2012, they are likely to need another million euro. That's the opinion of Fundación Euskadi president Miguel Madariaga. Talking to El Diario Vasco yesterday, the team chief outlined the budgetary issues facing the team.

"For three years now we've been looking for more money. Frankly, we need a million euro and we can't seem to find that kind of money anywhere. If Euskaltel (the sponsor) are aware of these issues? Of course they are", he explained.

The future's not only dependent on money though; a WorldTour-licence is vital according to Madariaga.

"Facing the future, it's important we continue to be a part of the WorldTour. If you drop out of the WorldTour it's tough to get back in. But, from what I've heard, it won't impact our racing calendar that much if we're in it or not though: we would likely be offered rides in the Tour, in the Vuelta and in the races that interest us anyway. But, still, the future would be more complicated if we're left out."

Briefs

• As expected, Spain were allocated the maximum number of places for the Olympics next year. The London Olympics will thus see five Spaniards line up in road race and two in the time trial. Samu is of course the defending champion and more than likely to be given one of the spots, so he'll be delighted to have four riders supporting him (and/or Freire) come July 2012.
• Despite placing fifth in Karrantza and fourth in Muskiz over the weekend, Orbea cyclo-cross rider Aitor Hernández was everything but enthused when talking to BiciCiclismo yesterday. "Perhaps I was too pumped up and too keen to show myself on the front", the erstwhile Euskaltel stalwart lamented. "Being aggressive throughout cost me dearly late on as I started to drift backwards."
• The Naturgas Energía bosses were "very pleased" with this weekend's two-day camp in Derio. The red squad gathered for the first time this year to plan the riders' pre-season and integrate the new members on the team. The camp ended with a hike from Getxo to Barrika, reports Euskaltel's website.

Urain contemplating retirement

Beñat Urain might be another young Basque cyclist calling it quits this winter. The 23-year-old was not kept on by Orbea at the end of the season and is having trouble finding a pro team willing to take him on. Stepping back into the amateur level is not an option he says, and he is thus pondering hanging up his bike for good.

"At Continental level there is nothing. Burgos and Orbea are the only Conti-teams in Spain and I'm not going to ride with any of them next year. It's hard, so I'm thinking about going back to school or start looking for a job outside of sports. Right now I'm working as a nursing assistant and taking chiropractic courses. But as of yet I'm not ruling out anything, except going to an amateur team. I'm not motivated for that", he told Gara.

Despite being let go by Orbea and now facing an uncertain future, Urain does not hold any grudges towards his old employer.

"Overall, these three years have been good for me. It was a good experience, I've learned a lot, and I've enjoyed getting to know my team-mates and being a part of this team. I'm grateful for the opportunity they gave me. And I'm not surprised they didn't retain me. I crashed a lot this year and as a result I haven't had a good season."

Urain has got one big chance left to impress any potential suitors: the Taiwan Cup. He'll accompany last year's winner and regular training partner Amets Txurruka on the trip to Taiwan this weekend.

Sesma in the wilderness

Like pretty much every bike rider out there at the end of a contract, Daniel Sesma is struggling to find a team for next season. The 27-year-old will not be retained by Euskaltel and, according to the ever-aggressive rider, it's slim pickings out there.

"Every team I've been in contact with has either been full or out of money. Caja Rural, for one, have no places left on their roster. I'm still looking, but it's hard given that so many riders are looking and so few teams are hiring. I'm motivated to keep riding, but situations like these drains your morale", the Arre native told Gara.

Despite having failed to post any results of note during his two-year spell with the team, Sesma said he was surprised at not being offered a new deal.

"Yeah, I didn't expect this. I've always done what I've been told - be it getting into breaks or pulling the peloton. I think I've been improving every year as well. I did the Giro this year and overall I was pleased with my performance in Italy. I've grown as a rider and feel I have a lot to offer".

Sesma went on to rule out Portugal as a possible destination, citing the need to "stay in Spain".

Ocampos retires from cycling

Naturgas Energía rider Aitor Ocampos has decided to put an end to his cycling career with immediate effect. The 22-year-old will not be retained by his current team next year and was not offered a deal at Orbea - thus leading him to call it quits. He won't leave the sport altogether though: he'll still pursue a career inside the sport, just not as a professional rider.

"Seeing as I'll be 23 next year, I couldn't stay on with Naturgas as it's an under-23 team. There were some informal contact with a few amateur teams, but I've decided to retire and focus on another career", the affable youngster revealed to Iban Mayo Blog.

Ocampos has been studying Law and Economics concurrently with trying to forge a career as a professional bike rider. Now he feels ready to focus solely on his university degree.

"I'll further my other career now. I would love to stay in the sport - in one capacity or another. Maybe with a team or a federation or something like that. Time will tell. Obviously I would have liked to have turned pro and focused on the bike for a while longer, but then again I'm very happy with the life I'm leading now outside of the sport!"

Having left the Fundación Euskadi on "good terms", don't be surprised to see the once-precocious Ocampos back in the world of cycling in the not too distant future.

Samu goes close in Oviedo

Carlos Sastre ensured he exited cycling in the best way possible by taking out today's crit in Oviedo, Asturias. The former Tour champ edged local hero Samuel Sánchez into second mainly through a commanding victory in the elimination race. Samu emerged victorious from a hill-climb duel with Stefano Garzelli and surprisingly took out the win in the team time trial along with Egoi Martínez and Jorge Azanza, but it wasn't enough to overcome the soon-to-be former great that is Sastre. Azanza finished ninth and Martinez 11th - but of course the results are not of utmost importance in these kind of events.

Source: Oviedo Global Cycling

Briefs: Naturgas/cyclo-cross/Martín

• Naturgas Energía will stage its first team camp of the pre-season this weekend in Derio, reports Euskaltel's website. Focus will be on team-building and getting to know the new riders on the team - as is the tradition for the first get-together of the new season. The team is yet to confirm its full roster for 2012, but big changes are expected.
• The Basque cyclo-cross season will get underway this weekend with a race in Karrantza on Sunday and one in Muskiz on Monday. The Basque calendar comprises 19 races, and is likely to see seasoned riders like Larriñaga and Murgoitio fight it out for the overall win. Former Euskaltel stalwart Aitor Hernández is hoping to mix it up with the big duo though, and will do so in the colours of his new team Orbea. Hernández has already showed glimpses of form this year by taking sixth in Medina de Pomar and third in Ramales de Vitoria.
• Noel Martín's fan club will hold its first party (read: dinner) tomorrow afternoon in El Arenal, a small village close to Ávila (where he hails from). Former team-mate at Orbea and Euskaltel revelation Mikel Landa will be present. Besides dinner, every attendee will be in the drawing for various Euskaltel and Orbea memorabilia. Martín was released by Orbea recently and is likely to compete on the amateur circuit in 2012.

Team's future not in danger, experts say

Off-season is usually the most hectic season at Euskaltel's headquarters. This year is no different: the team might or might no be part of the WorldTour next year, the team may be heading into its last year of existence in 2012, the general manager is leaving, the team chief has allegedly stopped looking for new sponsors and the sponsor's president is - at the time being at least - reticent on the company's future involvement.

The first of these worries, the fight for a WorldTour-licence, is all the UCI's making and can hardly be blamed on the team. The latter four though are. According to team leaders, riders and sponsors, the team might be heading into its last year on the road with the current agreement with telecommunications company Euskaltel up at the end of next year. Experts on Basque and Spanish cycling aren't worried though.

"I'm pretty confident the team has got a future", Alain Laiseka, DEIA's expert cycling journalist and an authority on everything Spanish cycling, told Iban Mayo Blog. "Obviously I'm not 100% sure, but this team isn't like any other team. By that I mean that it's not only a commercial project; it's a national project. That makes it special and, maybe, immune to these kind of troubles. Miguel Madariaga said after Antón won in Bilbao (stage 19 of the recent Vuelta): 'this team should last forever'. I agree with him. How they'll operate after 2012 and under what conditions is the million dollar question. I can't answer it, but I do think they'll be around in 2013."

One would believe a guy like Alain Laiseka knows what he's talking about, having witnessed the team at close quarters for a number of years. Marca's Nacho Labarga seems to echo Laiseka's sentiments.

"Yeah, I think the team will keep on going", Labarga told this very site a few days ago. "It is complicated though, but if Euskaltel decide to pull out I expect another sponsor to come on board. With very limited resources, the team has done magnificently; it's punched above its weight the last few years. Euskaltel deserve a future".

The chances of another sponsor coming on board seem less realistic now in the wake of Madariaga's comments, but that doesn't seem to worry Unai Iraragorri of BiciCiclismo. The Basque journo seemed assured of the team's future.

"I don't know if Euskaltel will stay on as sponsor. But I'm nonetheless confident the whole project will exist for another few years."

Ardanza and his co-workers over at Euskaltel are likely to make a decision on their future involvement in the early months of 2012.

Star turn-out for Oviedo crit

The traditional post-season criteriums are in full swing on the Iberian Peninsula. The annual prestigious event in Oviedo is up this Saturday and will see stars of the peloton turn out in their masses.

According to the event's own homepage, 19 riders will toe the line this weekend for five different mini races counting towards a final overall ranking. Samuel Sánchez, always a threat in these kind of show-races, will be on tap and in the company of team-mates Egoi Martínez and Jorge Azanza. The Euskaltel trio will have their work cut out for them though, as a host of illustrious riders - containing the likes of Basso, Sastre, Barredo, Garzelli, Madrazo, Navarro, Cobo and De La Fuente - will add a competitive edge to this end-of-season crit.

Madariaga allegedly ends sponsor-search

In what is sure to set the alarm bells ringing in Spanish and Basque cycling, Velo-Club has it that Fundación Euskadi president Miguel Madariaga has ended his search for a sponsor to take over in case telecommunications company Euskaltel does pull out ahead of the 2013 season.

Euskaltel's uncertain future beyond next season is well documented, but - if the French website is to be trusted (and they normally are) - Madariaga's comments seem to indicate the team is pinning everything on the current sponsor staying on. If they don't... well then the team's in deep trouble and will probably cease to exist.

"I won't lift a finger to find a new backer", he purportedly told Eurosport. "I've been looking for sponsors for 19 years now, I give up".

The team chief added that next year might well be the last, but then again we've heard those exact words being uttered before and the team's still here. A full year before the team's sponsorship agreement is up it's still early days and no decision will be taken in the near future. It seems we're in for another year of tiring and damaging speculations.

Official ranking: Euskaltel 19th

VeloFutur got it almost right when they suggested Euskaltel would place 18th in the final UCI WorldTour-rankings: the UCI released its official rankings today and the team ended up 19th. That one place means nothing as it's still a competition between the teams ranked 16th to 20th for the last three places. What does matter though is the fact that - contrary to VeloFutur's rankings - Skil doesn't figure in the top 20 and is thus out of the running completely. In comes Geox-TMC, which is curious to say the least given that their sponsor pulled out last week. They're in all likelihood headed for extinction, so they're highly unlikely to obtain a licence. That means, theoretically anyway, that Euskaltel is up against a trio of French teams: Ag2r, Europcar and FJD. Given both Euskaltel and Ag2r are in possession of licences already, I'm guessing they're both safe and it'll be a straight duel between Voeckler's Europcar and the home of young French hopefuls that is FDJ for the last berth.

Tentative ranking leave Euskaltel on the fringes

After all 27 WorldTour-races were done and dusted with in Lombardia a week or so ago, Euskaltel were placed 14th in the UCI's WorldTour-rankings - i. e. just inside the coveted top 15. A tentative ranking calculated by trustworthy Spanish website VeloFutur has it that Euskaltel will wind up 18th though, meaning Euskaltel are not guaranteed a WorldTour-licence for next year after all.

Taking into account all the coming and goings prior to the 20th of October (the day all transfers would have to have been submitted to the UCI if the arriving riders' points would count towards the rankings), VeloFutur deems it highly likely Euskaltel will finish 18th with only Europcar and Skil-Shimano behind them. Per the UCI's own guidelines, that means Euskaltel will fight it out with the aforementioned duo and Ag2r (16th) and FDJ (17th) for the remaining three spots. (Full rankings here)

The silver lining is that Euskaltel have got a WorldTour-licence in place for 2012. What's that? According to the UCI, Euskaltel are - incredibly - in possession of a valid licence. But where does that leave the team? "What do you need a ranking system for if you can buy yourself a place in the top league?", I hear you say. Well that's anyone's guess. I don't think anyone knows. The UCI surely don't. "But aren't they the ones making the rules?" Well that's the UCI for you I guess.

One of Euskaltel's competitors for one of those WorldTour-berths (if it really is a competition that is), are Ag2r. Or not. They've also got a licence for 2012 in place. So that practically leaves only FDJ, Europcar and Skil left. I'm guessing those three are not overly pleased with the UCI right now.

So on one side Euskaltel are in. On another they're everything but. Dependable sources has it that Euskaltel are as good as set for the 2012 WorldTour though. Let's hope those sources prove to be more trustworthy than the UCI.

Mind you: the numbers and rankings are all tentative. The UCI will release its full and final rankings on the first of November. Until then it's all mere speculation.